Chrysanthemum named British Gold

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant for greenhouse culture characterized by the golden bronze color of the ray florets of its medium size flowers and its decorative flower form which does not reflex, its 10-week photoperiod response, its spreading pot plant habit with an abundant production of small to medium size foliage, and its very good breaking ability when manually pinched.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

My new variety of chrysanthemum plant was discovered by me in 1972 as aseedling of unidentified parentage growing among breeding stock in mygreenhouse at Westfield-Woking, Surrey, England. The golden bronzecoloring of the flowers attracted my fancy and by cuttings from theoriginal plant, I produced several reproductions of the plant in mygreenhouse to observe and test its growth and flowering characteristics.The results proved favorable and demonstrated that the new plant hasnovel and commercially valuable characteristics and my propagation ofthe new plant through several successive generations by means ofvegetative cuttings, at Westfield-Woking, Surrey, England, hasdemonstrated that its distinctive characteristics hold true fromgeneration to generation and appear to be firmly fixed.

Commercial scale propagation of my new plant is now being done at WestChicago, Ill., and at Cortez, Fla., with faithful retention of the novelcharacteristics of the original plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new chrysanthemum plant is illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, the first being a photographic drawing which in full colorshows the flowers and foliage of a potted plant in full bloom and thesecond drawing being a reproduction of a mechanical print ofrepresentative leaves of the new plant taken at several levels along astem to show their distinctive form. The colors shown in thephotographic drawing are as nearly true as it is possible to obtain byconventional photographic procedures. The photograph was made inSeptember, 1976.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

The following is a detailed description of my new chrysanthemum plantbased upon observations at West Chicago, Ill., and with colordesignations according to the R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The RoyalHorticultural Society of London, England, in collaboration with TheBritish Colour Council.

THE PLANT

Origin: Seedling.

Parentage: Both seed parent and pollen parent are unidentifiedchrysanthemum varieties.

Classification:

Botanic.--Chrysanthemum morifolium.

Commercial.--Greenhouse pot plant.

Form: Perennial herbaceous bush.

Height: 11 to 15 inches.

Growth: Terminal. Vigorous and upright, sturdy and with very goodstrength.

Branching: Normal under natural conditions.

Foliage: Quantity -- Abundant with 8 to 10 leaves per 4 inches of stem.

Leaf size.--21/8 to 31/4 inches long and 11/4 to 13/4 inches wide.

Leaf shape.--Lobed -- lanceolate with slightly serrated margin.

Surface aspect.--Canescent.

Color.--Upper side -- RHS 147A. Under side -- RHS 147B to 148A.

venation.--Leaves are pinnately veined.

Petioles.--1/8 to 1/2 inch long.

THE BUD

Form: Globular.

Size: 1/2 inch in diameter and 1/4 to 3/8 inch deep.

Opening rate: Slow.

Color:

When phyllaries first divide.--RHS 144A.

when florets begin to unfurl.--RHS 15A, 17A, 17B.

Phyllaries: The outside of the receptacle bears many involucralspear-shaped and upstanding bracts.

Color.--Inside -- RHS 146C. Outside -- RHS 147C.

surface aspect.--Pubescent.

Peduncle: Erect and 3/4 to 11/4 inches long.

Surface aspect.--Pubescent.

THE FLOWER

Recommended flowering: Year around.

Response: 10-week.

Natural flowering season: November 3 to November 10.

Blooms: Flower type -- composite and decorative.

Borne.--A head of many florets on a receptacle.

Size.--Medium. Diameter --25/8 to 4 inches. Depth -- 11/4 to 13/4inches.

Shape.--Flat from the time the bloom first opens.

Florets.--Number -- Numerous. Form: Linear with obtuse apex.

    ______________________________________                                        Color :                                                                       (RHS) Flowering Period                                                                           Feb.    Mar.  April  October                               ______________________________________                                        Outer Florets :                                                               Upper side     14A             17A    14A, 14B                                Reverse side   13B     11A     15B    13A, 13B                                Inside Florets :                                                              Upper side     13B             17A    14A                                     Reverse side           17B     15B    13A, 14B                                ______________________________________                                    

firmness.--Medium.

Appearance.--Very slightly shiny.

Discoloration.--Very slight fade after full bloom.

Peduncle: Sturdy and upright. Length -- 3/4 to 11/4 inches.

Color.--RHS 147B.

Persistence: Florets hang on and dry.

Fragrance: Typical chrysanthemum.

Lasting quality: 3 weeks on the plant.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens:

Arrangement.--5 syngenesious stamens.

Filaments.--1/16 to 1/8 inch long. Color: Light yellow.

Pollen.--Yellow.

Pistils:

Number.--One for each ray and disc floret.

Styles.--1/8 to 3/16 inch long.

Stigmas.--Color -- Yellow.

Ovaries: Inferior bicarpellate.

This chrysanthemum plant is not recommended for cut flowers or otherthan greenhouse culture. Its distinctiveness resides in the goldenbronze coloration of its blooms and its decorative flower form whichdoes not reflex, its medium to tall vigor, sensitivity to low soilaeration, spreading pot plant habit, and very good breaking abilitywhich produces 4 to 6 lateral breaks when manually pinched. This plantis capable of being flowered the year around with a normal 10-weekresponse, subject to occasional delay when exposed to low or highgreenhouse temperatures, and has a sensitivity to low soil aeration withrespect to growth.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinctive chrysanthemum plant, substantially asherein shown and described, characterized by the golden bronze coloringof its medium size flowers the form of which does not reflex, the mediumto tall vigor of the plant growth, and its spreading pot plant habitwith a very good breaking ability when manually pinched.